Electric melting pot



5 Sheets-Sheet l April 28, 1925.

R. C. HAWKA ELECTRIC MEL'ING POT Filed- OCT.. 17

April 28, 1925.

R. C. HAWK 'ELECTRIC MELTING POT Filed OGt. 17. 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR April 28, 1925.

. R. c. HAWK ELECTRIC MELTING POT Filed oct. 1v. 1922 3 Sheets sheet 3 @we NTSOR I p Patented Apr. 28,

BOSQUE C. EAW-X, F PITTSBURGH, IENNS'YLVANIA.

ELECTRIC `IELTING POT.

application mea obtener 17, 1m. semi no.' stam.

To all whom. t my'cmwem: l

Be it known that I, 'Roscoe C. HAWK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and p II State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Electric Melting Pots, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. Y l. The present .invention relates broadly to l0 electrically heated apparatus for metal working purposes, and more particularly to a melting pot especially adapted for use with type metals', although its use in this respect is not limited. lIt has heretofore been proposed to construct electric melting potsl of this general nature and for this general purpose, but the operating experiences with such pots have shown that the cost of upkee and operation has been such as to material y limit, and in some cases substantially prohibit their use on a large scale.

By this 'nvention there is provided a melting pot so constructed as to secure hi h thermal efiiciency with a corresponding y ldecreased power consumption and operating cost, and of such nature that repairs may be expeditiously and inexpensively made as required.

In the accompanying drawings there'are so shown for purposes of illustration only, certain embodiments of the present invention, :it bein' understood that these drawings do not de ne the limits of 'thisinventiom as changes may obviously be made in the con- 35 struction and operation without, de arting from the spirit or scope of my roader claims. f

In the drawings, 'l Figure 1 `is a vertical sectional view through one form of apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view, partl broken away, of the construction illustrate in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of a portion-of the a paratu's;

lFigure 4 is a front elevatlon of one of the heatingunits;

' Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view 5 through the construction shown in Figure A4:.

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view of a portion of the bottom of the melting pot;

main body portion 8 which may Figure 7 is a transverse sectional view illusctsrating a slightly modified construction; an

Figure 8 -is a detail view .showinganother form of heating unit. f

An electric'melting pot constructed in accordance with the present invention may comprise a supporting' ram'eor standard 9 of any desired construction. This may conveniently be formed of metal to provide a substantially enclosed chamber whereby heat radiation from the 'interior thereof is restricted. This frame, where the same is constructed aS ametallic casing, is preferably provided with an upper flange 3. Adapted to cooperatewith the flange 3 and to be supported thereon is la melting pot 4. This melting pot preferably i, has thin walls whereby heat applied to the exterior thereof may rapidly penetrate the walls and communicate wlth the contents of the pot.

At its upperedge the pot may be formed with a heavy flange 5 ada ted to engage and rest upon the flange 3. n this manner the upper portion of the frame 2 is substantially sealed when the sition.`

I have found it' desirable to divide the outer surface ofthe melting pot into-a plurality of individual areas. While this may be accomplished in a number of different ways, it may conveniently be Vcarried out by forming the pot with a series of vertically extending ribs 6, which ribs at their upper ends join with the flan 5 and at their lower ends with a base' ange 7. These ribs not only rovide the vindividual areas as desired, ut ".tmaterially reinforce and strengthen the 'pot structure.

The heating means for the pot may comparts are in assembled poprise-"'a series of heating units, each of the construction illustrated in detail in Figures 4 and-.5. Each ofthese units com 'rises a whstructed of cement, such for example as Ausbestos cement, having Ah igh 'resisting heat insulatin roperties. Formed 1n one face of each o t e units is an outer channel 9 and an inner channel 10. Each ofrth'ese and lolo

channels is adapted to ,have placed therein a.

coiled conductor 11 having suitable resistance properties, as is well understood in the art. After the coils have been placed in position, they may be held in place by providing a series of connecting bridges 12. This may be accomplished by simpl cementing small sections across the channels.

The ends ofthe coils may be extended throu h suitable openings in the units where y electrical connection maybe made therewith as required.

Each of the units is formed with a curvature lof such nature that it will conform to the .outer surface ofthe melting pot and is of such dimensions that itwill fit between adjacent ribs 6 and substantially cover the entire individual area defined thereby. The bridges 12 of refractory material maintain the heating units out fof direct contact with the metallic wall of the pot such asA would serve to short circuit the same, while the open /channels permit substantially unrestricted heat radiation. Preferably the channels do not extend but a small fraction of the distance through the body of the units so that the major portion of the body is available ,as heat insulation. This construetion combined with the thin walls of the melting pot, insures high thermal eiliciency.

jso

As each heating unit is placed in position' on` the pot, it may be held in' place by mount' ling thereover a metallic late 13. Each of these plates is preferab y dimensioned to extend tothe middle line of adjacentfribs 6 position by recess .in-t

Insome cases it may be deemed advisable veniently accomphshed by molding the same;

and the adjacent edges of the plates are held 1 by fastening devices 14 assin therebetween and yinto the ribs. A r al of the units and plates vhave been assembled the entire exterior may be' covered to any desired thickness with a bodyV of heat insulating material15. l

Thevends of the heating coils are permitted to extend through this coverin to.`

enable the connection therewith offcon' uctors 16 forsupplying the desired-electric current. For mimmizing the'strain on the connections,'the conductors may be held in a casing 17 which is maintained in operative 'a' screw 18" entering a threaded e base of the melting pot.

to lrovide additional reinforcng'meansfor eac ofthe heatin units. This may be' con-Y with plates "19 as illustrated in Figure 7, or

' arise from the provision o a 'melting pot so constructed that Vrapid and eiiicient heat4 with small rods' or bars 20A as illustrated in Figure 8. In this mannerV additional strength may be imparted to the 'heating The advantages of the lresent invention transferis insured while permitting easy repair and renewal of the heating means as mayberequired. Y

claim:

1. an electric melting apparatus, a pot,

means dividing the outer. surface of the pot 1nto a plurality of individual areas, a separate heating means coo erating with each of said areas, and means or holding said heat-J ing means inoperative position, substantially as described.

2. In an electric melting apparatus, a melting pot having thin walls, means dividy mg the outer surface of the pot into a plura lty of individual areas, sald means serving to reinforce the pot walls, a separate heating means cooperating with each of said areas, and means for holding said heating means in operative position, substantially as described.

3. In an electric melting apparatus, a

melting pot having thin walls, means divid-- ing the outer surface of the potinto a pluralityof individual areas, sald means serving to reinforce the pot walls, a. separate heating means cooperatingwitheach of said .5. In anfelectric` melt'g Aapparatus, a`

melting pot'havi'n itsoute v surface formed with a series of ri s, and'alseparate heating 1 unit mounted between each airV o`f adjacent ribs, substantially as descri d.

6. In an electric melting a paratus, a

melting pot having its outer sur ace formed witha series of ribs, a separate heating umt mounted between each pair of ad'acent ribs,

the heating units in stantially, as describe 7. In an electric melting apparatus, a

melting pot having its outer 'surfaceformed' with a series of ribs, a separate-heating unit mounted between each pair of adjacent ribs,' 'i l'and sectional means'secnred to said-ribs for.'4 holding the units .inoperative position, sub- -11-5 .8. In anelectric melting apparatus, a supv stantiallyasdescribe .porting-means, a melting pot having a flange vresting on said means, means dividingt 'e and means secured to said pot or holding cperative position, subouter surfaceof said .potinto a series of v #individual areas, and anelectric heatin with each o unit separately cooperatin said areas, substantially as escribed.

9. In an electric melting apparatus, a'supporting means, a-melting pot having a ange 4resting on said means, means divlding the outer surface of said ot into a series Aof individual areas, an e ectric. heatin' l separately cooperating with each o said las unit

areas,`- and additionalmeans for heat insulating said units, substantially as described.

`-comprising a series of metallic sections adapted to cooperate with said units for maintaining thesame in position, substantially as described. Y p

11. As an article of manufacture,A an individual heating unit for melting pots comprising a body portion having an open channel formed in one surface thereof and a heating means located in saidv channel, substantially as described.

` In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

RosooE o. HAWK. l 

